Video/Film Review Criteria

The quality of your paper depends on the level of organization you implement. Never
underestimate the importance of well-structured outline, regardless of the type of paper
you have to write. Outlines help you focus on the subject and contribute to a logical
flow.
Here's how to organize your video/film review:

● Introduction (title, release date, background information)

● Summary of the video/film
● Creative elements (dialogues, characters, use of colors, camera techniques, mood,
tone, symbols, or anything that contributes or takes away from the overall video/film)
● Opinion (supported with examples and facts from the video/film)
● Conclusion (announcing whether the filmmaker was successful in his/her purpose,
re-state your evidence, explain how the video/film was helpful for providing a deeper
understanding of a course topic)

Video/Film Review Elements

● The title of the film/documentary– just because your headline features the name
of the video/film it doesn’t mean you should skip mentioning it in the text. Always
name the feature you’ve watched in the introductory paragraph. This may seem like
a stupid thing to point out, but it’s one of the most common mistakes that students
make.
● Summary– the whole point of the review is to summarize the video/film for people
who haven’t watched it yet. To make this as effective as possible, always assume
that your professor hasn’t seen it either (as mentioned above). Why is this
important? You won’t leave out some important details thinking he/she watched it
already so they won’t bother. As a reviewer, your job is to explain what happened in
the video/film and express whether the filmmaker failed or succeeded. Again, saying
you liked or disliked it isn’t a viable comment. Your opinion has to be supported by
specific reasons and examples from the feature itself
● Significance to the class– How does the content of the video/film fit into your
course topic?
● Creative elements– filmmakers work hard to include creative elements into their
motion pictures. How are these elements important to the video/film in general?
Colors can be vivid and lift the atmosphere or mood in the movie or they can be dull
and make it seem depressing. Moreover, camera movements and angles also add
elements to the story. Take notes of symbols in the story, if any.

Checklist / Outline for a Good Video/Film Review

● Introduction (title, topic, release date, background information)

● Accuracy of depiction
● Use of sources in the film
● Creative elements that enhance or tarnish the overall story (visual design,
performance, set design, symbolism,… )
● Your opinion
● Conclusion

Mistakes to Avoid

● Not focusing on the video/film – strive to avoid writing about unnecessary details or
introducing irrelevant information
● Inserting yourself – you’re the one who’s writing the review. The paper reflects your
understanding and opinion of the video/film you’ve seen and there is no need to
write in first person all the time: I noticed this…, I saw that…, I liked this…, I disliked
that…,
● Giving out your opinion without mentioning any reason why you think that way
● Talking about irrelevancies
● Writing a review without a structure
● Writing generalities such as great acting, cool effects, a good video, it was bad,…
● Writing a review without substance or analysis of the video/film*

* Assignment adapted from: https://edusson.com/blog/how-to-write-movie-review (Links

to an external site.)